Excellence Gateway
Published: 11 January 2010
This case study was produced by JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire & Humber on behalf of the Excellence Gateway.
Sector relevance: Further education and Sixth Form colleges
Keywords: Improving teaching and learning, improving institutional effectiveness, blended learning, curriculum development, curriculum good practice, inclusive learning, support for remote learners, collaborative projects, management of resources, managed learning environment, virtual learning environment, learning resources centre, management of ICT infrastructure, history, geography, languages, sport and leisure, video resources, video streaming, media server, multimedia
Greenhead College provides and streams video content via its virtual learning environment (VLE) to enable concurrent viewing of content for all students and staff 24/7. By developing its own media server, to store video content and link it to its VLE, Greenhead has seen increased usage of its VLE, and has also removed the constraints of limited physical space for hard-copy collections in the library. A cross-organisational approach has brought together the ‘magic triangle' of curriculum, learning resources and the technical team, which has resulted in seamless access to targeted, subject-based learning resources.
Greenhead College is a Sixth Form college close to Huddersfield town centre. It provides full-time advanced courses (A-level and Applied GCE) for over 1,800 students aged 16–19. Greenhead was awarded Beacon Status in 2004.
e-Learning Developer Paul Holden, working with Learning Resources Manager Ros Moors, needed to digitise old video resources and make them available for students and staff. An option was to transfer all resources onto DVD but, after networking at the JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire and Humber e-Learning Conference 2009, Paul explored new ideas of using TV and creating a video repository in an alternative format. He decided that the solution would be to develop a "Media Centre" within the College's Moodle VLE.
Paul developed the “Moodle Media Centre” between June and October 2009. This involved purchasing hardware, setting up the system and writing the code to embed video streaming into Moodle.
Paul spent under £500 on equipment to commission a new server, which combined a standard machine with the following extras:
Paul made savings: he used open-source (free) software – Ubuntu Linux as the operating system, Red5 streaming server, and open-source media encoding tools.
The system also required an ERA+ licence from the Educational Recording Agency. This allows licensed material to be viewed off the College premises. The cost of this varies per organisation, depending on the number of students.
Paul developed a simple ‘2-click' system, whereby any member of staff can locate a programme in the online TV guide and then press ‘record'. Each recording is categorised under subject areas so that it is searchable through Moodle and stored until the College reviews unpopular items to delete.
Bought DVD content can also be added but the College needs permission first from the copyright holder. Paul and Ros are transferring and uploading newly digitised resources from video and DVD onto the system.
Once the system was developed, it was tested with ‘enthusiasts' within the College before a full roll-out during a staff development day.
Image 1: Screenshot of the online TV guide
Image 2: Screenshot of video thumbnails embedded into a Moodle course
Image 3: Screenshot of video details within the Moodle Media Centre
Each classroom has a projector and screen so the system allows video to be streamed full-screen from Moodle. In addition, the use of Moodle means that video can also be accessed outside the classroom and usual teaching times.
Tutors can record programmes themselves, view what was recorded recently and list their favourites. The software efficiently streams the content so that tutors can jump between sections of a full programme – there is no delay in streaming the video, though bandwidth is required in order to be able to do this.
The "Media Centre" is used the most by the history department but is also popular with law, PE, English and geography, in particular. Over 600 videos have been loaded onto the system in just two months. Usage depends on the department: business studies mainly uses clips within class, though history students are directed to use them outside class.
Moodle statistics allow tutors to see who has viewed which programmes and when. Statistics show that videos have been watched almost 5,000 times in two months.
The system's impact was immediate. Ros said 'there was a round of applause' when it was demonstrated on the staff development day.
Promote use of video as a resource
Previously, staff would request a video recording via Ros, who would then contact the reprographics team to put the recording onto DVD as a library resource. Then staff or students would book the DVD out from the library. This was time-consuming and produced limited resources. Now the ‘2-click' system of recording and ease of passing on information about the latest recorded material means that it is an easier process to record video. Staff receive an automatic email confirmation with a link when a programme they requested is recorded and they can forward this on to colleagues. They can also view other recently recorded material and see what is most popular.
The ‘See More' facility makes it easy for staff to arrange recording an entire series.
"One of the biology teachers has added the entire BBC ‘Life' series for the students. Without this facility, they wouldn't have been able to do this." Paul Holden, e-Learning Developer
"One of the biology teachers has added the entire BBC ‘Life' series for the students. Without this facility, they wouldn't have been able to do this."
Paul Holden, e-Learning Developer
Learning and teaching aid
"From a teaching point of view, it's much easier. Quite often you have an hour-long programme and the teacher just wants to show a certain five minutes. They can quickly whizz to the clip. We've had feedback that this is a much easier way of displaying video." Ros Moors, Learning Resources Manager
"From a teaching point of view, it's much easier. Quite often you have an hour-long programme and the teacher just wants to show a certain five minutes. They can quickly whizz to the clip. We've had feedback that this is a much easier way of displaying video."
Ros Moors, Learning Resources Manager
It is also easier to find videos through the Moodle VLE. Staff do not have to remember where videos are stored, as they have easy access through the subject area in Moodle, plus all videos are categorised and searchable, both on the VLE and from the College's library management system. Staff and students can see all the videos available per subject.
Videos provide a visual stimulus to learners. They are attractively displayed with Moodle, using thumbnails of video frames as links. Access through the subject area in Moodle means that the emphasis is the video content, not the technology.
One student told Ros:
“This is absolutely great, doing my revision and being able to watch these video clips. It makes revision so much more interesting.”
Ease of use
As the video facility is within an existing system, it was designed to be easy to use.
“It's easier for the staff as they don't have to learn a completely new system.” Where previously staff had to locate and load DVDs, now it is just a click on Moodle. Paul Holden, e-Learning Developer
“It's easier for the staff as they don't have to learn a completely new system.” Where previously staff had to locate and load DVDs, now it is just a click on Moodle.
Saves work
The new system saves Ros work.
“It's much easier to record and catalogue something, and you don't have to physically process the DVD or video.”
Promoting and joining up existing systems
Ros outlines how video is promoting the use of Moodle:
“People might have thought it was okay for dumping bits and pieces but now they really think of using it in lessons because it's the easier way to get to resources.”
For the first time, some departments are now using Moodle.
There are also direct links between the videos on Moodle and Heritage, the College's library management system (LMS). As all video is categorised and tagged, it can be linked between the two systems. This joins up and promotes the use of the two facilities.
Increased availability of resources
The system increases both access and the amount of resource available.
“The big bonus is it's not just one person watching that one DVD – anyone who wants to watch it can, as and when.” Ros Moors, Learning Resources Manager
“The big bonus is it's not just one person watching that one DVD – anyone who wants to watch it can, as and when.”
Staff and students can access Moodle off site so are, therefore, able to watch the videos off site. Staff can set watching a video as homework as there is no limit on the number of copies available. They have instant access and it saves students reserving items in the library.
Sustainability
Ros found problems with previous formats:
“We found that DVDs don't last and teachers get frustrated when, halfway through, it just stops… A few even asked to go back to video.”
The new system allows a more sustainable storage solution and reduces loss of the resource through scratched discs. Physical space in the library is also saved as all video is now recorded on this system, rather than put onto DVD.
Further developments could include adding subtitles to programmes. Paul currently has the software and adds subtitles to modern languages programmes, but this could be extended to provide greater accessibility to all students.
Further storage can be added on the server at minimal cost. This means that useful resources can be kept for as long as needed whilst more are added.
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